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Ms.
Macpherson distributed a preliminary draft of the 2011-revised and 2012-proposed
budget. The labor cost projections (which amount to approx. 79% of the
Department’s budget) have been finalized, however some of the operating costs
still need reviewed and fine tuned so this is not the final version. The
remaining changes should not substantially change the bottom line estimates
presented this evening. If substantial changes are discovered, Ms. Macpherson
will e-mail the BOH with that information before it is submitted to the
County. Otherwise, the final version will be e-mailed to the group upon
completion. The due date for submission to the County is September 2nd.
Our deadline has been extended to September 6th due to the
additional work created by the County’s change in the accounting chart of
accounts. While we are hopeful we can meet the September 6th
deadline, it might not be until September 9th that the work can be
completed.

In
general, Ms. Macpherson notes that the bottom line for the Department for both
2011 and 2012 shows decrease in overall expenses, primarily due to vacancy
savings from unfilled positions, rehiring at lower pay levels, and some grant reductions.
No reductions in non-grant staff are recommended with this draft budget proposal.
She has found that there are areas within the operating budget that are
experiencing increases in costs, including supplies and fuel costs. She notes
that staff are making good efforts to decrease expenses in these areas such as
combining trips driven to do work, participating in meetings over the phone,
and using electronic means for sharing information instead of printing
reports. At the end of 2012, although there is a proposed use of some
reserves to balance the budget it is estimated that we will still maintain 14%
of our budget in reserve; the County’s guideline is 10%. Ms. Macpherson
indicated that we are not looking at making recommendations to reduce core
public health services this year or in 2012 unless there are reductions in a grant.
Our county tax dollars support for 2012 is approximately $2.6 million dollars;
the proposed budget is estimated at just under $8.5 million. Other revenues
that make up the difference will come from grants and fees. Dr. LeBailly
reported that she is preparing the letter of budget transmittal. This letter details
how services are affected from one year to the next and what issues we may be
facing in the near future. This document, along with the final proposed budget,
will be e-mailed to the BOH members. Staff answered questions from the Board
about several revenue and expenditure line items that have changed from prior
year, and the funding status of several department programs.

Ms.
Macpherson asked the BOH for approval to move forward in concept with the draft
budget and to continue working to finalize and submit the budget when done to
the County.

*MOTION
was made to approve the proposed budget in concept.

*MOTION
was unanimously approved.

4.
Director's Report –
Director's Report – Dr. LeBailly reminded the board of
our department’s efforts to get staff input on their prioritization of our
programs, using the criteria developed from their input on prior program
assessments. She shared lists of programs ranking in the top third for each
question in the survey, to give the Board a sense of the findings. Staff members’
ratings of their own program(s) were collected, but not included in this
analysis.

Dr.
LeBailly reported that the department was unable to apply for the Community
Transformation Grant because we didn’t have a population of 500,000, and the
grant did not allow us to partner with Weld County. [Update:
Colorado applied for the entire state, but was not funded, but the City and
County of Denver were successful in getting a grant.]

5.
Next meeting, Thursday,
October 13, 2011. There will be no
September Board of Health meeting. The Board president or alternate will
attend the department’s Budget Hearing on Sept. 16, from 1PM to 2:30 PM 2011 in
the Commissioner’s Office conference room.